Name of base three system – UGC NET Question

A positional number system whose base is 3 uses three distinct symbols, typically 0, 1 and 2. Such a base-3 system is known as the ternary system. The prefix “ter” or “tern” is related to the Latin for three, which aligns with the base value. Therefore, the correct term for a base-3 system is ternary.

Option A:
Option A, dual, commonly refers to something involving two parts but is not the standard mathematical term for base 2. Even if loosely related to two, it does not accurately describe a base-3 system.

Option B:
Option B, quinary, refers to a base-5 system that uses five symbols, usually 0 through 4. This is not suitable for a number system that uses only three symbols.

Option C:
Option C is correct because ternary explicitly denotes a system built on the number three. In a ternary number system, each position represents a power of 3. This matches the requirement of a base-3 system.

Option D:
Option D, senary, is used for base 6, where six different digit symbols are employed. Since base 3 uses only three digits, senary is not the correct name.